Yerba Buena Island I-80 Interchange Improvement Project

I-80 YBI East-side Ramps - On Saturday, October 22, 2016, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), in coordination with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA), opened the new westbound I-80 on- and off-ramps that connect Yerba Buena Island (YBI) and Treasure Island (TI) to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

The new westbound on- and off-ramps are in different locations than the current westbound ramp which means that motorists will need to make adjustments.

For complete details regarding this change in traffic conditions please view this public information announcement:

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Transportation Authority is working jointly with the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) on the development of the Yerba Buena Island (YBI) I-80 Interchange Improvement Project. TIDA and OEWD asked the Authority, in its capacity as the San Francisco’s Congestion Management Agency, to lead the effort to prepare and obtain approval for all required technical documentation for the YBI I-80 Interchange Improvement Project because of our expertise in funding and interacting with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on technical aspects of the project.

This project is independent of but closely coordinated with the Caltrans San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge (SFOBB) new East Span projects and the TIDA Treasure Island Redevelopment project. The project is funded with Federal Highway Bridge Program, Proposition 1B Local Bridge Seismic Retrofit Account and TIDA local match funds.

The scope of the YBI I-80 Interchange Improvement Project includes two major components:

On the east side of the island, the YBI I-80 Ramps project will construct new westbound on and off ramps to the new Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge.

On the west side of the island, the YBI West Side Bridges Retrofit project will seismically retrofit the existing bridge structures—critical components of island traffic circulation between the islands and the Bay Bridge

YBI I-80 EAST-SIDE RAMPS

(See a YouTube videos of the construction and in service operation at the bottom of this page.)

The Yerba Buena Island (YBI) I-80 East-Side Ramps project will open the new westbound I-80 on- and off-ramps that connect Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The project will improve traffic safety, geometric design, and traffic operations of the ramps. The total estimated project cost is currently $98.04 million.

Federal and State environmental approvals were granted for the project in December 2011, and re-validated in June 2012 to account for additional temporary improvements required by the US Coast Guard. In December 2013, the Transportation Authority Board approved award of the construction contract in the amount of $49,305,345.50 to Golden State Bridge, Inc. GSB’s DBE participation goal of 13.8% exceeded the contractual requirements of 12.5%. Construction contract work started in January 2014.

The project was completed on schedule for an opening to traffic in October 2016, with final project landscaping and irrigation work scheduled for completion by late 2016. The Transportation Authority is closely coordinating its current construction work with Caltrans SFOBB new East Span construction projects and its planned new YBI bicycle/pedestrian landing area. The Transportation Authority is leading coordination with Caltrans, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), and TIDA to provide better connections at the bicycle/pedestrian temporary touchdown, including parking facilities and tie-ins to local roads.

EAST-SIDE RAMPS IN SERVICE VIDEO

EAST-SIDE RAMPS CONSTRUCTION VIDEO

Construction is finished on the new Westbound Yerba Buena Island Ramps Project. View this short video, produced by Mark Jones for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which highlights some of the construction activities on the project.

YBI WEST-SIDE BRIDGES RETROFIT

The Yerba Buena Island (YBI) West-Side Bridges Retrofit project will retrofit eight existing bridge structures along Treasure Island Road to meet current seismic safety standards. Five of the structures will be seismically retrofitted, while three will be demolished and replaced. These bridge structures are a vital component of the YBI traffic circulation system and also serve as an important part of the on and off-ramp system to the SFOBB. Total estimated project cost is $66.33M.

Seismic Strategy Reports prepared by the Transportation Authority were approved in October 2011. Joint California Environmental Quality Act/National Environmental Quality Act documents prepared by the Authority and Caltrans in the form of Categorical Exemption/Categorical Exclusions was completed in December 2012. As part of continued preliminary engineering and design efforts and as required by federal funding a Value Engineering Analysis (VA) Report was prepared and approved in February 2014 in consultation with TIDA, San Francisco Public Works, Caltrans and independent construction experts. The VA team made various recommendations for the Transportation Authority and TIDA consideration to reduce overall project risk and cost. The approved VA Alternative realigns Treasure Island Road into the hillside and replaces two of the structures with retaining walls. The introduction of the VA Alternative will require additional engineering and environmental analysis to be performed. Federal HBP funding for additional preliminary engineering phase efforts was allocated to the Transportation Authority in May 2015.

The Transportation Authority is continuing preliminary engineering and additional environmental documentation efforts with completion scheduled in the Fall of 2017. Final design and right of way certification activities are targeted for completion by the end of 2018. Construction start is scheduled after completion of the I-80/YBI East-Side Ramps project, the Caltrans SFOBB eastbound on-off ramps improvement project, and TIDA’s Macalla Road reconstruction in order to avoid traffic circulation delays to, from and on the island. The project is currently anticipated to start construction in Spring 2019, with completion targeted by the end of 2020.